


Lay to Rest

by Celestlian



Category: The Young Elites Series - Marie Lu
Genre: Don’t copy to another site, Festivals, Gen, Mourning, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 10:20:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17599454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celestlian/pseuds/Celestlian
Summary: In the events leading up to her 18th birthday, Violetta is still in mourning. Desperate to see her sister again with only Raffaele keeping her sane, she’s conflicted.When things get drastic, her royal adviser and her go on a journey that they will never forget.





	1. Chapter 1

_”Violetta...”_

_I look around. A dark room with four walls. I can’t move; I’m held back by invisible chains. In the walls, there’s a dark, pulsing energy which I don’t want to think of. My heart pounds in my chest as I whip my head, frantically searching for the voice, blind in the darkness._

_A laugh emits from above. Then, a rumbling thud is heard. Someone’s dropped to the floor._

_I look ahead, trying to discern someone, but I can’t. There’s nothing that I can see in this pitch black space._

_A few footsteps closer alerts me to the person’s presence. Then, a deep male voice speaks._

_”Tell me, mi Violettina...do you like fire?”_

_My heart stutters in shock at the use of the affectionate version of my name. As they speak, fire is conjured in their hand. The flames illuminate their face, casting shadows over unnaturally blood red eyes and hair._

_Enzo._

_He smirks, watching me carefully._

_”Do you like fire, mi Violettina?”_

_My heart pounds violently in my chest. I can’t handle this. I have to get out of here._

_”No,” I whisper feebly. I hate how my voice comes out, weedy and full of fear. A dark chuckle emits from the former prince’s mouth, and he walks closer. The moments are antagonising. Enzo leans down on one knee in front of me._

_”Why not? Aren’t the flames pretty?”_

_I shake my head. “They burn. They kill.”_

_Enzo smiles eerily. My eyes are wide as I stare at him, terror evident in my very stance._

_“So honest. I wish your sister were more like you.”_

_Adelina. “Where is she?” I ask, my eyes beginning to look for a wisp of silver hair._

_”She isn’t here. It’s just me...”_

_The flame goes out. Panic quickly takes over, but I try to keep calm._

_“...and you.”_

_He boops my nose, a small smile on his face before he leans close, so close I can practically smell the smoke._

_“You’re sweet. A rarity in this kingdom. I’m sure your sister is jealous.”_

_”Where’s Adelina? Where is she?” I ask, staring at him, struggling against the invisible chains. Enzo notices my frantic movements and just chuckles, getting to his feet, conjuring another single flame. He throws something down to the ground. It’s a white and gold mask, stained with blood. I begin to hyperventilate._

_”I’ll see you, Violetta.”_

_Then, the flame in his hand extinguishes itself as he closes the door._

_I begin to shake, tears in my eyes, pulling at the chains._

_”Enzo! ENZO!”_

-

I wake up with a scream, heart pounding. My hands are shaking. 

I’ve been having these nightmares for over a year now. Ever since Adelina died, these weird and twisted dreams of Enzo have been coming to haunt me at night. Without Sergio by my side, I’m completely vulnerable, prone to paranoia and hallucinations, moreso after Sergio passed away. It hurts, and I’m scared.

I wrap my arms around myself, whimpering and rocking back and forth.

 _You can do this Violetta,_ I tell myself. _You’ll be 18 soon._

I will my hands to stop shaking after a few minutes. I continue rocking back and forth though, staring into space.

I’ll talk to Raffaele later. For now though, I need to sleep. It’s probably early in the morning.

My heart twists at the thought of encountering Enzo again, but I have no choice. 

 **You** **should** **be** **used** **to** **it** **by** **now,** a voice whispers, and I push it away.

No. It’ll be good this time. I hope.

I sigh, closing my eyes. I have one thought before I slip into the land of nightmares.

 _Save_ _me,_ _Adelina_. _Save_ _me._

 


	2. Chapter 2

_”Raffaele,”_ _a voice hisses. I stare as Adelina walks forward, a small smile on her face. I’m in my consort uniform - the same one during my debut, the night that Enzo bought me. My heart pounds violently as she makes her way towards me._

_”Where’s Enzo?” I say calmly._

_“Gone,” she says. There’s not a hint of emotion in her eyes, not a flicker of pain across her countenance. I feel small._

_”Where’s Violetta?”_

_She steps back at that. There. I have her._

_”Mi Violettina,” she whispers, and my heart twists._

_”Adelina-“ I start, but she interjects._

_”NO! No, don’t. Please.”_

_Her voice comes out terrified, and I close my eyes._

_”She’ll be okay.”_

_”You’re looking after her,” she whispers. My eyes open. Adelina has turned her face to the side and away from me, her eyepatch facing me._

_”Yes. As best I can.”_

_“Thank you,” she says, without looking at me._

_Then, she disappears, and the dark room fades, leaving me in a meadow filled with flowers as far as the eyes can see._

_Where is Violetta?_

-

I wake up, gasping. I’ve never done that before - never asked her about Violetta. And now? Now, she’s gone.

I sit up, running a hand through my hair. Adelina is gone, and that reminds me. I need to check on the Queen.

I fumble with the robe but finally slip it onto myself, blue satin that sparkles in the lights of the castle as I make my way down the corridor.

Managing to grab a candle from a table in the hallway, I quicken my footsteps. I hear whimpers from her room. I break into a run, heart pounding.

I throw open the door. Violetta is tossing and turning in her sleep. 

“No, no no no,” I whisper. I place the candle on the table in her room and run towards her, sitting on her bed.

”Violetta? Violetta,” I whisper. My hands lightly grip her shoulders. At my touch she wakes, sitting up, eyes wide. She stares at me. I watch her carefully. She looks stressed at the moment. I reach out, taking her energy in mine and washing waves of calm over her anxious nerves. She doesn’t try to stop me this time, merely succumbing to my altering and collapsing into me, leaning her head on my chest.

”Violetta?” I ask quietly. “What happened?”

”Another...another nightmare,” she gasps. 

Her hands are still shaking. I take them in mine and brush my lips over them. 

“Enzo?” I ask again. She nods, letting out a shaky breath. I pause, remembering what I said to Adelina. After a few moments, I speak.

”Ask about me. Ask ‘where is Raffaele?’ and I’m sure Enzo will take a different approach.”

”H-How do you know?” she whispers. I hug her tight, holding her in my arms. 

“I asked where you are and Adelina let me go.”

Violetta looks up at me, eyes wide in surprise.

”R-Really? So you’re free!”

”I am,” I reply calmly. “But you are not - not yet. So try it.”

Violetta nods. Then, she yawns. I laugh quietly.

”Okay,” she whispers. It’s the last thing she says before falling back asleep, head on my chest.

I sigh, holding her close. I know the nightmares won’t come now; they never do after the colours of dawn break through the clouds.

I look at the muted colours through the curtains of the bedroom. Pink. Joy and sensitivity.

A new day, a new beginning.

 


End file.
